One would think that with more time in our hands, working out would be easier to do. But conversations with my friends have led me to believe that this pandemic has affected many exercise routines.

Camille, my "I-will-squeeze-in-a-workout" friend who is one of the most disciplined people I know shared that she's no longer motivated to break a sweat. My former gym buddy, John, has completely stopped exercising.

"Perhaps the world is truly ending?" I thought to myself.

As I look at my own workout routine and the ups and downs of my motivation, I found that my friends are not the only ones who feel this way. Fitness and Lifestyle blog Well+Good shares:

This is Why Exercise Feels So Hard Right Now

"When things are tough, exercise can be a form of stress relief. But if right now, every mile you run feels like a marathon, and every Zoom workout takes ten times more effort than what you once cranked out in a studio, you're not alone. Sometimes, the stress of just getting through each day can sabotage your workouts and make you tired of working out.

That's because exercise in itself is a stressor. "Exercise induces physiological stress, stress forces adaptations, and adaptations make you stronger," explains Matthew Stults-Kolehmainen, PhD, a clinical exercise physiologist at Yale-New Haven Hospital.

Shocker: The unique stressors of 2020 are breaking all of those rules. "We don't feel like we're personally in control, we don't feel like our communities are in control, and we don't feel like the country is in control," says Stults-Kolehmainen.

It's that cumulative buildup of stress and fatigue that can spell disaster."

You can read the rest of the article, here.

There you go! If you feel really bad about yourself because you haven't been working out, be kind and forgiving. There are so many stressors constantly dragging us down.

Tips to Help You Get Back Into A Fitness Routine

Once you have found the right state of heart and perspective to your exercise routines, ease in and get back into it. Here we're sharing some helpful tips so you won't be too anxious to workout again.

1.    Get a New Workout Gear - here's something that helps people hit the ground running. We wouldn't encourage you to get a new full set of workout wardrobe. But you can perhaps invest in a set of shoes, yoga pants, or fitness watch. Anything that *guilts* encourages you to exercise.

2.    Start small - don't overdo it! Not only will you experience fatigue, but you might also injure yourself. Start with small actionable steps like 10 minutes of workout a day or even just going up and down your house for 5 minutes.

3.    Sleep well - this might be a no-brainer for some, but many don't understand just how important sleep is. Stick to a regular sleep schedule that helps your body heal and refuel.

4.    Try a New Workout - going back to the workout you've always been doing may give you more dread than excitement. Consider trying something new that will cause you to look forward to exercising.

5.    Schedule rest days - even the most professionally trained athletes have rest days. So should you! Allow your body to recover. This isn't a one time sprint but a lifestyle change.

Finally, always remember to do this for you. Like the article above, set out with the right purpose. This isn't for anyone else but you! Each time you exercise, you are doing good for yourself - celebrate that.